A.G. Gancarski
Ron DeSantis began his week in Eagle Pass, Texas, calling attention to issues at the Mexican border.
“No excuses on this. Get the job done. Make it happen,” DeSantis said, promising that immigration enforcement would be a “Day 1 priority” if he’s elected President.
DeSantis has made messaging about Joe Biden border policies central to his rhetorical appeals in the state and has taken those arguments national since launching his 2024 bid.
In Monday’s remarks, the Governor rolled out his latest in a series of attempts to address border issues.
“I look at the issue of the border,” DeSantis said, as more than a “Texas problem.”
“When you don’t have control of the border, that’s an American problem,” the Governor added.
DeSantis noted fentanyl presented one example of the problems presented by “illegal aliens,” whose “burdens on the community” extend to medical care and the criminal justice system.
“People act like these are Mexicans coming in … there are people from halfway around the world coming through this southern border,” DeSantis said, noting Tajiks, Libyans, Chinese, “criminal aliens,” and “members of the terrorist watch list” have come through in recent years.
DeSantis described Florida as a “maritime border state,” criticizing the Coast Guard for “dumping people in the Florida Keys.”
Addressing the issue of “asylum,” DeSantis said the concept was under “abuse,” saying people come from South America through various countries to get to the U.S. He vowed “executive action” to stop the process, estimating “90% of these cases aren’t legitimate,” and claiming people could “wait in Mexico” for adjudication.
DeSantis also suggested states should be able to “send people back” without federal immigration enforcement, pledging to “fully deputize” states. He also took a stance against the “virtue signaling” of “sanctuary cities,” vowing to “turn the screws” on them so that it “pays to follow the law” and noting that Florida taxpayers pay to ship undocumented immigrants currently.
The Governor vowed to “build the wall,” noting the current construction allows for illegal entry and said governments should “use force to repel them.”
“If you do that one time, they will never do it again,” DeSantis said to scattered applause.
The Governor also vowed to “kneecap the cartels” to stem the drug problem he says undocumented immigrants bring over the border.
Audience members peppered the Governor with questions, including about whether the border “invasion” was an “act of war.” DeSantis vowed his administration would respond “robustly.”
He vowed to use “deadly force” via the U.S. military when asked during a news conference after his campaign event, saying that if some “cartel operatives” got “dropped,” it would change their attitude. He was asked about incursions into Mexico but did not answer that part of the question directly.
8 comments
DeSantis is a groomer
June 26, 2023 at 11:46 am
DeSantis is such a troublemaker and loser. He never has any real solutions on anything. He just goes in there with all his bravado and his billionaire back pac. They are turning this country into Nazi ideology.
TJC
June 26, 2023 at 12:07 pm
How good of DeSantis to remind Texans that Florida taxpayers pay to transport undocumented immigrants. Yes, under his guidance, we pay tens of thousands of dollars to fly those immigrants from Texas to California. I guess if you’re a Texan, that sounds like a good arrangement, just let the Florida governor sucker his people into paying for his politically motivated stunts.
SteveHC
June 26, 2023 at 1:47 pm
Oh yeah, for sure General DeSantis will send American armed forces to his perceived “front at the southern border” (he forgot about the Canadian border and Pacific entryways as his xenophobia apparently only extends in a southerly direction) while Russia with Iran’s and China’s assistance pummels from our east via Ukraine which he could care less about – you know, warfare genius that he is…
Tom
June 26, 2023 at 1:56 pm
And I ask again, what exactly did he do about it when he was in the House of Reps? Congress needs to act, the President can’t fix it. He’s a stupid, little man.
Dont Say FLA
June 26, 2023 at 2:37 pm
Rhonda must want refugee boats landing in Port Everglades and Sarasota since that would be the result of a successful land border.
What Will Rhonda want then Barbed wire beaches seems predicable. Do Floridians want barbed wires beaches on the Gulf Coast? If si, vote for Rhonda
Linwood Wright
June 26, 2023 at 9:22 pm
It sounds like he wants to wage an actual shooting war with Mexico?
That can’t be right, can it?
Drumk Casey
June 27, 2023 at 6:41 am
Ahole: I wanna make the US just like Florida
Florida rn:
https://www.reuters.com/business/healthcare-pharmaceuticals/first-us-malaria-cases-diagnosed-decades-florida-texas-2023-06-27/
Tjb
June 27, 2023 at 11:04 am
Ron DeSantis the good Christian turning away those in need. When will he recognize that the many folks crossing the border are not criminals but Christians looking for a better life. Is Ron a Christian or a racist? Let us ask our Lord.
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